1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to data processing systems and, in particular, to a data processing system and method including a server and client computer system coupled together utilizing a local area network. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a data processing system and method including a server and client computer system coupled together utilizing a local area network for transmitting a network packet having a group identifier which identifies only selected clients.
2. Description of the Related Art
Personal computer systems are well known in the art. They have attained widespread use for providing computer power to many segments of today""s modern society. Personal computers (PCs) may be defined as a desktop, floor standing, or portable microcomputer that includes a system unit having a central processing unit (CPU) and associated volatile and non-volatile memory, including random access memory (RAM) and basic input/output system read only memory (BIOS ROM), a system monitor, a keyboard, one or more flexible diskette drives, a CD-ROM drive, a fixed disk storage drive (also known as a xe2x80x9chard drivexe2x80x9d), a pointing device such as a mouse, and an optional network interface adapter. One of the distinguishing characteristics of these systems is the use of a motherboard or system planar to electrically connect these components together. Examples of such personal computer systems are IBM""s PC series, Aptiva series, and Thinkpad series.
With PCs being increasingly connected into networks to allow transfers of data among computers to occur, more operations such as maintenance, updating of applications, and data collections are occurring over the network. Computer networks are also becoming essential to their user. It is desirable minimize loss of productivity by increasing availability of network resources.
Significant costs are associated with deploying and maintaining computer systems in large corporate environments. In particular, large costs may be involved in tracking and maintaining each computer system utilizing a particular network.
Computer systems which include a network controller have a particular network address. The network address is defined by the hardware included within the controller as it was configured during manufacturing. The controller addresses are randomly assigned. Although the address may be utilized to identify a particular controller, the address provides no information about the type of system, type of operating system, or other system characteristics.
It may be costly to maintain a typical network having a variety of system types coupled to the network. For example, a network administrator may need to transmit a particular network packet to only those computer systems which are a particular system type. The network administrator has no method for transmitting such a packet without manually checking each system""s type, or querying each system.
Therefore a need exists for a data processing system and method for transmitting a network packet which includes a group identifier identifying only selected ones of a plurality of client computer systems.
A method and system are disclosed for transmitting a network packet which identifies only selected ones of a plurality of client computer systems. The client computer systems are coupled to a server computer system to form a network. A logical group is specified which includes only a first plurality of the plurality of client computer systems by specifying one of a plurality of group identifiers. A network packet is then transmitted utilizing the network to the logical group. The network packet includes the group identifier which identifies the logical group, wherein only the logical group are the intended recipients of the packet.
The above as well as additional objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description.